Aminata Kelly-Lamin, Regional Director, Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), Sierra Leone

Workshop 3.2 Anti-corruption practices in Non-Renewable Natural Resources for Sustainable Human Development, Thursday 16 Nov. 11:30-14:00

Topic: The Role of Civil Society in Preventing and Curbing Corruption: Promoting Greater Transparency and Accountability.

Introduction

I represent an organization that is working on mining, public accountability, policy advocacy, youth empowerment and human rights- that is the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD). NMJD is a member of a coalition called the National Advocacy Coalition on Extractives which was born out of the desire to see the issues in the Non Renewable Natural Resource sector addressed. NMJD is also a member of the Civil Society Monitoring Group (CSMG). As a representative of that organization, I bring you all greetings in the struggle. Based on the vision of this noble organization, we believe that the utilization of natural resources in developing countries of the world today stand on the threshold of depletion and therefore requires rethinking of their exploitation as a means to economic development not as an end in itself. It is fast becoming clear that the promise that the Non Renewable Natural Resources held for Africa‘s economic growth over the decades has and is still being eroded by corrupt practices.

Civil society as a term the world over has become an attractive notion to many groups, including politicians, scholars, advocacy and non-governmental organizations. This sector is viewed by these groups as a dynamic and innovative source for raising new concerns as well as articulating new directions. Civil society encourages and facilitates direct citizen participation in both public and corporate governance, educate the citizens and scrutinize state actions.

On the other hand, there has been growing public recognition and discussion within and among nations of the problem of corruption; examining and re-examining the numerous faces of corruption as it impinges on country’s economic and social development particularly for Non Renewable Natural Resources. In the arena of Non Renewable Natural Resource, civil society is viewed as big money making business under the guise of non-profit making enterprises, trouble shooters and conflict mis-managers. For these reasons and more the concept of civil society means different things to different cultures, societies and people; varying from country to country and continent to continent. That not with standing the National Anti-corruption Strategy (NACS) for Sierra Leone took cognizance of the important role of civil society in curbing and preventing corruption by facilitating the creation of a Civil Society Monitoring Group to add an independent voice and evaluate the NACS from a civil society lens. Despite these differences, civil society has the unique rights and authority to demand transparency and accountability from those in state governance provided there is a serious self introspection, criticism and transparent leadership. Maintaining this unique position can not be made visible unless civil society the world over is transparent and accountable to the communities they purport to represent. Thus, the role of civil society in preventing and curbing corruption need not be over emphasized. All there is to it is for civil society in its quest to prevent and curb corrupt practices needs in itself to be more transparent and accountable to the communities they represent; thereby making a clean and clear slate for the fight against the epidemic especially in the Non Renewable Natural Resource sector.

Conceptualizing Civil Society

As mentioned earlier, the concept of civil society means different things to different societies, cultures and people. It is therefore important to define the organization and understand its dynamics, so that its roles can be clearly laid out in the context we are looking at it in this conference.

Several defi